Forget not therefore that the principal part of Painting or Drawing
after the life consisteth in the truth of the line, as one sayeth in a
place that he hath seen the picture of her Majesty in four lines very
like, meaning by four lines but the plain lines, as he might as well
have said in one line, but best in plain lines without shadowing; for
the line without shadow showeth all to a good Judgement, but the shadow
without line showeth nothing, as, for example, though the shadow of a
man against a white wall sheweth like a man, yet it is not the shadow
but the line of the shadow, which is so true that it resembleth
excellently well, as drawn by that line about the shadow with a coal,
and when the shadow is gone it will resemble better than before, and
may, if it be a fair face, have sweet countenance even in the line; for
the line only giveth the countenance, but both line and colour giveth
the lively likeness, and shadows shew the roundness and the effect or
Defect of the light wherein the picture was drawn. This makes me to
remember the words also and reasoning of her Majesty when first I came
in her highness' presence to draw, who after shewing me how she noted
great difference of shadowing in the works and Diversity of Drawers of
sundry nations, and that the Italians who had the name to be cunningest
and to Draw best, shadowed not. Requiring of me the reason of it, seeing
that best to shew oneself needeth no shadow of place but rather the open
light, to which I granted, affirmed that shadows in pictures were indeed
caused by the shadow of the place or coming in of the light at only one
way into the place at some small or high window, which many workmen
covet to work in for ease to their sight, and to give unto them a
grosser line and a more apparent line to be deserved, and maketh the
work imborse well and show very well afar off, which to Limning work
needeth not, because it is to be viewed of necessity in hand near unto
the Eye. Here her Majesty conceived the reason, and therefore chose her
place to sit in for that purpose in the open alley of a goodly garden,
where no tree was near nor any shadow at all, save that as the Heaven is
lighter than the earth, so must that little shadow that was from the
earth; this her Majesty's curious Demand hath greatly bettered my
Judgement, besides divers other like questions in Art by her most
excellent Majesty, which to speak or write of were fitter for some
better clerk. This matter only of the light let me perfect that no wise
man longer remain in Error of praising much shadows in pictures which
are to be viewed in hand; great pictures high or far off Require hard
shadows to become the better then nearer in story work better than
pictures of the life; for beauty and good favour is like clear truth,
which is not shadowed with the light nor made to be obscured, as a
picture a little shadowed may be borne withal for the rounding of it,
but so greatly smutted or Darkened as some use Disgrace it, and in like
truth ill told, if a very well favoured woman show in a place where is
great shadow, yet showeth she lovely not because of the shadow but
because of her sweet favour consisting in the line or proportion, even
that little which the light scarcely showeth greatly pleaseth, proving
the Desire to see more.
_Nicholas Hilliard._